Contour covering for mattresses



May 21, 1963 E. B. GOLDSMITH CONTOUR COVERING FOR MATTRESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 000- 9 1961 PIN FIG. 4

FIN

INVENTOR,

ELAINE B. GOLDSMITH W bx W Z$W May 21, 1963 E. B. GOLDSMITH 3,090,052

CONTOUR COVERING FOR MATTRESSES Filed Oct. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v 8 1 j g 7% 483 ,5

INVENTOR, ELAINE B. GOLDSMITH WWW M 3,090,052 CQNTGUR COVERING FOR MATTRESSES Elaine B. Goldsmith, 75 St. Andrews Fairway, Memphis, Tenn. Filed Oct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,831 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 334) As is Well known to parents and those who attend infants and-young children, a major problem arises, when a child is placed in his bed or crib, of keeping the child covered during his sleeping time. As is well known, such children and infants in their normal turning in sleep tend to disrupt the arrangement of the covers to such an extent that they become uncovered and consequently are not properly covered.

It is believed that one of the primary reasons for this restlessness and uncovering action on the part of the bed contained infant is due to the restraining and confining nature of coverings which have previously been used in such connection. Thus it has previously been considered proper to provide a bed mattress with a covering such as a blanket or the like, and to fasten the blanket securely at the several corners of the bed by supplemental clips or other retaining members tightly holding the cover in place. This is satisfactory to the extent that the child does not resist this restraint and crawl out from underneath the same. In other instances it is to be noted that blankets or the like are tucked in tightly around a bed mattress and provide preliminarily a tight container for the infant person contained in the bed. This has proven apparently unsatisfactory because of the restraint upon the child contained therein, with the result that the covers are torn or pulled loose from tucking into the bed, and the child becomes uncovered.

The present invention is intended to provide a mattress covering device in the nature of a blanket which is adapted for secure retainment upon the mattress, and yet which provides a maximum freedom to the child or infant contained therein, thus limiting the restraint in such a manner as to eliminate substantially the tendency of the child of fight against the restraint and thus to free himself from the covering over him.

A further difiiculty which has been heretofore encountered has been that where bed coverings for children and the like have been employed in the event of some dist turbance of the child there has been a difliculty of access to the child in view of the arrangement of prior devices.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel covering for a bed mattress as for children or infants.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the covering is provided with means for securely and contourly fitting three corners of the mattress of the bed, and with the head end and one of the side portions being left with free hanging flaps.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the foot end of the device is provided with contourly fitted corners for engaging the Corners of a mattress, and in which the overlaying body portion of the device is provided with a substantial number of folds or pleats to provide a fullness and freedom which will e mi a e e in upon the child or infant contained upon the bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the free hanging side flap is of such an Stats Ofice 3,090,052 Patented May 21, 1963 extent that when the bed is occupied the flap will hang substantially horizontally on its lower edge in order to provide for additional freedom at the upper part adjacent the head of the mattress or bed; and

A further object of the invention is generally to im prove the design, construction and efiiciency of covering means for mattresses and/or bed structures for supporting infants and the like.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a patterin or sample from which the completed device of the present invention may be fabricated.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a completed bed covering device of the present invention mounted as upon a mattress.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device as shown in FIG. 1 in partially assembled condition.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device as seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an inverted plan view of the device of the present invention, with the mattress upon which it is to be mounted omitted.

FIG. 6 is a side view as seen from one side of the device mounted upon a mattress.

FIG. 7 is an end view of one end of the device as mounted upon a mattress.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the device as seen from the opposite side from that of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an opposite end view of the device as mounted upon a mattress.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale taken as on the line XX of FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 8.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the device of the present invention comprises a blank, generally indicated at 11, from which the device is fabricated. Blank 11 comprises a main body part 13, to one end of which is integrally connected a head end flap 15, and to one side of which is integrally connected a side flap 17.

Side flap 17 and head end flap 15 merge together at their corners as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Head end flap 15 is approximately defined by fold line 19 and terminates remote from side flap 17 in a free edge 21. Side flap 17 is substantially continuous and the termination of the flap is defined approximately along fold line 23 which ends in a marker 25 inserted in the foot end edge 27 of flap 17 and body part 13, the foot end edge being a substantially continuous edge arranged in alinement and including the foot end part of side flap 17 and the foot end part of body portion 13.

Adjacent edge 21 is an edge 29 which extends beyond the limits of head end flap 15 and forms one edge of a head end cap flap 31. Head end cap flap 31 is provided with a curved cap edge 33 which merges in a substantially V-shaped junction, as at 35, with a similarly curved edge 37 forming the head end extremity of a side flap 39. Side flap 39 laterally terminates in a substantially straight edge 41, curved edge 37 merging into one end of side edge 41.

At its other or foot end extremity, outer edge 41 of flap 39 merges into a cap curved edge 43. Curved edge 43 intersects, in a substantially V-shaped junction 45, with the end of an additional curved cap edge 47 forming one side of a foot end flap 49.

Foot end flap 49 is provided with a pair of markers 51 which are on opposite sides of flap 49, one of the markers 5'1 being in curved cap edge 47, and the other of markers 51 being in an opposite cap edge 53 which is also curved.

Beyond an axial line (not shown) joining the markers 511 the foot end flap 49 includes a terminal tuck-in portion 55 which is adapted after the assembly and fabrication of the device to underlie the mattress and to extend therebelow.

Curved cap edge '53 joins the curved foot end cap edge 57 in a substantially V-shaped junction 59, which is thus disposed at the opposite side of foot end flap 49. An end panel 61 extends transversely across foot end flap 49 between the markers 51 forming or defining the lower terminus, and t -junctions 59 and 45 defining the upper terminus, and the end panel is adapted upon fabrication of the device to snugly fit over the end of the mattress and to cover the same.

Curved cap edge 57 defines one edge of a foot end cap flap 63, the other edge 65 of which extends along and is separated from foot end edge 27 of body part 13. Edge 65 extends beyond the limits of flap 63 and defines also in its continuation the extremity of foot end flap 49.

It will be observed that V-junotions 35 and 45 in the flat or blank form of the device are alined along a line which is somewhat out of parallelism with edge 41 of side flap 39, and the line which would join these V-junctions is slightly out of perpendicular with the transverse edges of the blank including the main body part and the head flap.

In the fabrication of the device from the blank as shown in FIG. 1, body part 13 is folded as along the fold lines 69' so as to form a plurality of pleats 71. The folding of body part 13 along fold lines 69- in the formation of pleats 71 so folds the material of the body part until marker 25 is moved into register with a marker 7 3 formed in edge 65. With markers 25 and 733 in register it will be seen that edge 27 of the body part 13 has been folded upon itselflforming the pleats. 71, and at this point the edge 65 may be secured to folded edge 27, the securing extending from edge terminus 67 to the registered markers 25, 73. Thus the folded body part is secured in folded condition, and is best shown in FIG. ll

Head end cap flap curved edge 33 is then brought into alinement with curved edge 37 of side flap 3?, and the respective curved edges are secured together as in a seam 75. As thus secured together in seam 75, the head end cap flap and the head end of side flap 39 form together a cap 76 which is adapted to embrace and contourly engaged the head end of one side of a mattress M.

When pleats 71 have been formed and secured as just described, the lower portion of blank 11 is somewhat laterally reduced in width. This reduction in width moves the alinement of V-junction 45 with V-junotion 35 into substantially perpendicular relation with the end edges of the body part of the device and also moves edge 41 of side flap 39 slightly into an angular position relative to the end edges. Similarly this constriction of the lateral width'of the device at the lower seam thereof moves the lateral extremity of the side flap 17 into a Slightly angular position as is shown in FIG. 3.

After the formation of the head end cap 76, the curved foot end cap edge 43 of side flap 39' is moved into register with curved cap edge 47 of foot end flap 49 and is there secured in position. Thus there is formed at the foot end of side flap 39 a seam 77, providing a foot end cap 73 which is additional to the head end cap '76 previously mentioned, providing at the side of the device an elongated side pocket 79 which is adapted snugly to engage along one side of mattress M, with the head end cap '76 engaging the head end of the side of the mattress, the foot end cap 78 engaging the foot end of the mattress adjacent the selected side, and the side pocket 79' extending snugly therealong and in embracement therewith, with side flap 39 surrounding and snugly embracing the side portion of mattress M. Capedge 53 of foot end flap 49 may then be joined with foot end cap edge '7 of flap 63, as in a seam 81, thus providing an opposite foot end cap 83.

Foot end cap 33 is adapted to contourly engage and cover the corner of the foot end of mattress M, and foot end cap 83 together with foot end cap '78 serve to define a foot end pocket 85, which pocket snugly embraces and engages the foot end of mattress M, with tuck-in portion 55 underlying the foot end of the mattress and end panel 61 engaging against the foot end of the mattress and extending transversely thereacross. Foot end pocket 85 thus terminates adjacent to side flap 17, leaving the side flap hanging freely below mattress M.

Preferably along the edges of head'cap 76, of head end flap 1'5, and of side flap 7.7, a binding B is applied in order to cover the raw edges of the material of the device.

With the device assembled in the manner as described, the respective caps '76, 78, 83, may be engaged with and cover the three corners of mattress M, with side pocket 79' engaging along one side of mattress M and with foot end pocket 85 engaging along one side of mattress M and with foot end pocket 35 engaging across the foot end of mattress M. As so engaged, pleats 71 provide a loose fullness adjacent the foot end of the mattress with the device mounted thereon, and provide a freedom of movement eliminating substantially undesirable restraint of the infant occupant of the bed. Head flap 15 may be easily folded back in order to provide an open free head portion of the mattress so as not completely to cover the infant occupant of the bed. Side flap 17 hangs freely alongside the mattress M and does not provide any restraint upon the occupant. The pleats 71 are, in efiect, of an accordion nature and the fold may be extended upwardly along the device as the same is mounted upon mattress M, providing a continuing freedom and looseness \which is highly adaptable to eliminating restriction on the movement of the crib occupant.

It will be observed that, as shown in FIG. 3, the edge of side flap 17 is somewhat angularly disposed to the assembled body of the device. This provides an additional feature of merit in that it enables the positioning of the crib occupant beneath the contour cover of the present invention and provides additional space, and, therefore, freedom of movement therebeneath. It will be seen that as side flap 17 hangs freely immediate access beneath the device is provided'with a minimum of inconvenience.

I claim:

1. In combination with a rectangularly shaped mattress, covering means comprising a head end cap, a first foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattressand defining the extremities of a side pocket, said caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress and termiating inwardly adjacent said corner, said side pocket snugly covering said one mattress side and including a portion underlying said mattress side, said foot end cap embracingly covering one corner at the foot end of said mattress, a second foot end cap embracingly covering the other corner at the foot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a footend pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket extending from side to side of said mattress and snugly covering the foot end of said mattress, a main body portion overlying the majority of the upper surface of said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing restraining effect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, a side flap integrally connected to said body portion and hanging freely downwardly alongside the other side of said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket and spaced from the foot end of the mattress, a head end flap integrally connected to and freely foldable upon said body portion at the head end thereof, said head end .flap integrally connected with said flap and separated from said head end cap, whereby to provide covering means snugly engaging three corners of said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered.

2. In combination with a rectangularly shaped mattress, covering means comprising a head end cap, a first foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattress and defining the extremities of a side pocket, and caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress and terminating inwardly adjacent said corner, said side pocket snugly covering said one mattress side, said foot end cap embracingly covering one corner at the foot end of said mattress, a second foot end cap embracingly covering the other corner at the foot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a foot end pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket extending from side to side of said mattress and snugly covering the foot end of said mattress, a main body portion overlying the majority of the upper surface of said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing restraining effect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, a side flap integrally connected to said body portion and hanging freely downwardly alongside the other side of said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket and spaced from the foot end of the mattress, a head end flap integrally connected to and freely foldable upon said body portion at the head end thereof, said head end flap integrally connected with said flap and separated from said head end cap, whereby to provide covering means snugly engaging three corners of said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered.

3. In combination with a rectangularly shaped mattress, covering means comprising a head end cap, a first foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattress and defining the extremities of a side pocket, said caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress and terminating inwardly adjacent said corner, said side pocket snugly covering said one mattress side and including a portion underlying said mattress side, said foot end cap embracingly covering one corner at the foot end of said mattress, a second foot end cap embracingly covering the other corner at the foot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a foot end pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket extending from side to side of said mattress and snugly covering the foot end of said mat tress, a main body portion overlying the majority of the upper surface of said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing re straining effect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, a side flap integrally connected to said body portion and hanging freely downwardly alongside the other side of said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket and spaced from the foot end of the mattress, said body portion separated from said head end cap, whereby to provide covering means snugly engaging three corners of said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered,

4. In combination with a rectangularly shaped mattress, covering means comprising a head end cap, a first 6 foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattress and defining the extremities of a side pocket, said caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress and terminating inwardly adjacent said corner, said side pocket snugly covering said one mattress side, said foot end cap embracingly covering one corner at the foot end of said mattress, a second foot end cap embracingly covering the other corner at the foot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a foot end pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket extending from side to side of said mattress and snugly covering the foot end of said mattress, a main body portion overlying the majority of the upper surface of said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing restraining effect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, a side flap integrally connected to said body portion and hanging freely downwardly alongside the other side of said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket and spaced from the foot end of the mattress, said body portion separated from said head end cap, whereby to provide covering means snugly engaging three corners of said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered.

5. Mattress covering means comprising a head end cap, a first foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattress covering means and defining the extremities of a side pocket, said caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap adapted for embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress, said side pocket adapted for snugly covering one mattress side and including a portion for underlying said mattress side, said foot end cap adapted for embracingly covering one corner at the foot end of said mattress, a second foot end cap for embracingly covering the other corner at the foot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a foot end pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket adapted to extend from side to side of a said mattress and for snugly covering the foot end of a said mattress, a main body portion for overlying the majority of the upper surface of a said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing restraining effect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, a side flap integrally connected to said body portion for hanging freely downwardly alongside the other side of a said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket, and spaced from the foot end of the mattress a head end flap integrally connected to and freely foldable upon said body portion at the head end thereof, said head end flap integrally connected with said flap and separated from said head end cap, whereby to provide covering means for snugly engaging three corners of a said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered.

6. Mattress covering means comprising a head end cap, a first foot end cap, said caps positioned at one side of said mattress covering means and defining the extremities of a side pocket, said caps and pocket being permanently interconnected, said head end cap adapted for embracingly covering one corner of the head end of said mattress, said side pocket adapted for snugly covering one mattress side and including a portion for underlying said mattress side, said foot end cap adapted for embracingly covering one corner at the foot end 7 of said mattress,.a second foot end. cap for ernbracinglyv covering the other corner at thefoot end of said mattress, said foot end caps defining the extremities of a foot end pocket, said foot end caps and said foot end pocket being permanently interconnected, said foot end pocket adapted to extend from side to side of a said mattress and for snugly coveringthe foot end ofa said mattress, a main body portion for overlying the majority of the upper surface of a said mattress, said body portion being secured to said pockets and adjacent said foot end pocket having pleats providing a loose fullness reducing restraining efiect of said body portion, said foot end pocket at said second foot end cap terminating adjacent said pleats, aside fiap integrally connected to said body portion for hangingfreely downwardly alongside the other side of a said mattress, the foot end edge of said side flap separated from said foot end pocket and spaced from the foot end of the mattress, whereby to provide covering means for snugly engaging three corners of a said mattress with the remaining corner free with one side of said mattress loosely covered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,137 Bergin May 4, 1954 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED MATTRESS, COVERING MEANS COMPRISING A HEAD END CAP, A FIRST FOOT END CAP, SAID CAPS POSITIONED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID MATTRESS AND DEFINING THE EXTREMITIES OF A SIDE POCKET, SAID CAPS AND POCKET BEING PERMANENTLY INTERCONNECTED, SAID HEAD END CAP EMBRACINGLY COVERING ONE CORNER OF THE HEAD END OF SAID MATTRESS AND TERMINATING INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID CORNER, SAID SIDE POCKET SNUGLY COVERING SAID ONE MATTRESS SIDE AND INCLUDING A PORTION UNDERLYING SAID MATTRESS SIDE, SAID FOOT END CAP EMBRACINGLY COVERING ONE CORNER AT THE FOOT END OF SAID MATTRESS, A SECOND FOOT END CAP EMBRACINGLY COVERING THE OTHER CORNER AT THE FOOT END OF SAID MATTRESS, SAID FOOT END CAPS DEFINING THE EXTREMITES OF A FOOT END POCKET, SAID FOOT END CAPS AND SAID FOOT END POCKET BEING PERMANENTLY INTERCONNECTED, SAID FOOT END POCKET EXTENDING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF SAID MATTRESS AND SNUGLY COVERING THE FOOT END OF SAID MATTRESS, A MAIN BODY PORTION OVERLYING THE MAJORITY OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID MATTRESS, SAID BODY PORTION BEING SECURED TO SAID POCKETS AND ADJACENT SAID FOOT END POCKET HAVING PLEATS PROVIDING A LOOSE FULLNESS REDUCING RESTRAINING EFFECT OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID FOOT END POCKET AT SAID SECOND FOOT END CAP TERMINATING ADJACENT SAID PLEATS, A SIDE FLAP INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BODY PORTION AND HANGING FREELY DOWNWARDLY ALONGSIDE THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID MATTRESS , THE FOOT END EDGE OF SAID SIDE FLAP SEPARATED FROM SAID FOOT END POCKET AND SPACED FROM THE FOOT END OF THE MATTRESS, A HEAD END FLAP INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO AND FREELY FOLDABLE UPON SAID BODY PORTION AT THE HEAD END THEREOF, SAID HEAD END FLAP INTEGRALLY CONNECTD WITH SAID FLAP AND SEPARATED FROM SAID HEAD END CAP, WHEREBY TO PROVIDE COVERING MEANS SNUGLY ENGAGING THREE CORNERS OF SAID MATTRESS WITH THE REMAINING CORNER FREE WITH ONE SIDE OF SAID MATTRESS LOOSELY COVERED. 